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Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh does develop throughout this story. In the beginning, he is a strong and heroic leader who can command men to follow him and defeat major obstacles. However, he experiences the pain of loss of a good friend, and realizes how much that friend meant to him. He wants to be immortal, but he is able to change and grow when he discovers that is not his fate. In addition, he grows as a person, not because of his exploits, but because his soul becomes enlarged and more complete, and he matures during his journey, learning more about himself and how he reacts to situations. His ultimate quest, then, is to find happiness and peace within himself, and he does that, discovering that he is a far deeper person than he might have first imagined. In the beginning, his journey is self-serving and selfish; he has no other motivator than his quest for adventure. Later, after he gives up the idea of immortality, he becomes much less self-centered, as well.

I think the reason there are flood stories in many cultures is because humankind recognizes it can be wicked, and that it may have to face the wrath of God (or someone), for their actions. They are stories based on guilt, because humankind is guilty, and has always been guilty of its actions and reactions, and flood stories indicate that eventually, humankind will have to pay for its wickedness and sins. it's not just a religious view, but a human view, because there is so much violence, hatred, and ugliness in the world, and people want to believe that somehow, the wicked and the hateful will pay for their crimes, eventually. I think the lesson is that humans can be very bad, and they recognize it, and understand that sooner or later, they will have to pay for that somehow. In this story, the flood serves another purpose - it gives Gilgamesh the ability to meet the survivor and see what it takes to survive a great catastrophe, knowledge that could serve him well later on.